Removing and reinstalling the lower unit.

[Golflover]

I have an 85' sea ray seville, 170hp 3.7L merc with a alpha outdrive. My question is if I remove the outdrive for maintainance, do I need any special tools for alignment on reinstallation or can I just slide the unit back in and tighten it up?

 

[ziggy]

Re: Removing and reinstalling the lower unit.

you'll need an alignment bar to do the alignment. http://www.iboats.com/Mercruiser-En...3192222--**********.367291024--view_id.269596.

you also may wanna make an outdrive stand. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?p=2258649. mine is really crude, but it works and allows me to remove and intall the drive by my self.

other items you'll need to work on your drive are the oem service manual. http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/srvcovr.pdf you want #6 + some gimble brg. grease for the gimble brg and ujoints. and spline grease for the coupler. also a torque wrench capable of 50 ft. lbs to reinstall the nuts to the proper torque when re installing the drive.

 

[Reming870]

Re: Removing and reinstalling the lower unit.

What about gaskets? Is there a kit?

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Removing and reinstalling the lower unit.

the outdrive mounting gasket kit has all the necessary items

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Removing and reinstalling the lower unit.

do I need any special tools for alignment on reinstallation

Simply removing and reinstalling the outdrive does not affect the alignment. But as Ziggy mentions, you need the alignment bar to CHECK the alignment. And that's a good idea when you have the outdrive off. If the alignment is off, your bar / tool will help you adjust the engine accordingly. Then you can re-install the outdrive with the confidence that it is all aligned property.

But to answer your question... no, you do not necessarily need to align the engine just because you removed the outdrive.

 

[Golflover]

Re: Removing and reinstalling the lower unit.

Thank you all for the insightful and helpful responses.

 

[e10]

Re: Removing and reinstalling the lower unit.

If the outdrive comes off easily and goes back on without excessive force usually that means the alignment is ok.

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: Removing and reinstalling the lower unit.

the alignment bar has tighter clearances than the yoke on the drive, so it fits tighter into the coupler on the back of the engine.

Even though the yoke slides in easy, the alignment bar might not even be close.

Here's a search for the tool on ebay:
http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=me...emt+bar&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313